


A Trial to Forever

by jaemnoya



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst and Romance, Light Angst, M/M, One Shot, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-05-16 19:08:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14817165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaemnoya/pseuds/jaemnoya
Summary: While you are still in search of your forever, will you allow me to try and give you just that?





	A Trial to Forever

**Author's Note:**

> first NCT fic i've finished (keyword: finished. i have a lot of drafts in my drive. haha-)
> 
> oh god i dont even know what i wrote but i had to or else i wont have other ideas
> 
> thankfully i finished it so i decided to post this even if idek if renmin deserves crap like this WHEN JAEMIN STARTED IT WITH A BRACELET ugh
> 
> well, enjoy reading!!!

As the sun began to set, the entire room was dyed orange. Renjun squinted as the sunlight momentarily passed by his eyes. He gets up from his chair, heading towards the glass door to pull the curtains to a close. Sunsets are his favorite as it signalled that the night is near and so are the stars. However, he wasn’t looking forward to today’s nightfall.

His idle thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. He glanced back at it then at the clock. He sighed to himself.

“Speak.”

“Prince Renjun, the Queen would like to remind you that it is almost time and you will be asked to step out in thirty minutes.”

“Thank you for informing me. Please tell mother that I am ready to be called anytime.”

“I will, Prince.”

“Dismissed.”

“Please excuse me.”

When the footsteps were no longer heard, he let out another sigh before grasping onto the smooth fabric of the curtain. He moved it a little, checking if the sun has given a rest to their land. It was still there, although barely seen. He looked back at the door, then opened the curtains. He pushed the glass door open, and walked to the balcony. He was welcomed by the cool wind of the evening, and glanced around the view.

His room was near the borders of the castle. Although quite vulnerable to attacks, the prince and the princesses of the castle are given rooms like that to allow them easier sneakouts. Although discouraged, sneakouts are inevitable so it was an unofficial agreement in the royal family to give such rooms to the prince and princesses to allow them to experience ‘freedom and youth’.

That said, parts of the town could be seen and so are the common folks. It was a great place for the younger royalties to watch their people and make good relations with them. Renjun took advantage of that fact and greeted everyone passing by in the morning before his lessons. Although he doesn’t exactly have any close friends outside the castle, he could manage a conversation with the passersby and so far, they seemed to be pleased with their prince.

“Why the long face, my prince? It’s your day, is it not?”

Renjun’s eyes trailed down to the delivery boy of the town, Jaemin. He was on his usual blue bike, back basket empty while the front basket still having one small package to be delivered.

“Just not entirely looking forward to tonight’s party, I guess.”

“Ah, you’ve mentioned before that you don’t like how fancy it is.”

“Well, yes, that.”

Renjun sighed deeply. Jaemin chuckled and took off his cap to adjust it. He reached for the stand so he could get off his bike and lightly lean on it instead.

“Seems like you still have something else in your mind.”

“Must you read my mind every time, Mr. Na?”

“It’s always Jaemin for you, my prince. And it’s not my fault that you’re not good at hiding your feelings.”

Renjun rolled his eyes.  _ I am! _

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

Jaemin got on his bike again, but did not kick the stand yet. He looked up at Renjun, who seemed to be in deep thought. He wondered if he should leave the prince.

Before he could ask, Renjun got startled when his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of knocking. He shook his head then patted his cheeks to get himself composed.

“Yes?”

“My prince, it is almost time. The Queen requested for you to go out to be prepared.”

Jaemin couldn’t hear the message as the maid did not enter Renjun’s room so the sound was muffled by the wood. However, he caught the sound of knocking and understood that it was time for the prince to make his way to his party.

“That’s my cue. I’ll excuse myself. Enjoy your party, my prince. I’ll see you next time.”

“Take care!”

Renjun shouted, lifting his hand up to wave but he hesitated. Instead, he just curled his fingers and shook his head. He went back to his room and closed the glass door. With another heavy sigh, he went out of his room.

  
  


The room was lit by tiny lights that seemed like candles. The air was cold and no one spoke a word. Suddenly, there was a spotlight, where the King and the Queen proudly stood. There was a sound of harp being slowly played, then a violin followed.

“A pleasant evening to everyone. We are delighted to have you for tonight and we thank you for finding time to travel to our kingdom for this special day.”

The Queen spoke, an air of elegance around her. She put down her mic, then the King continued.

“As we all know, today is the birthday of our Prince Renjun. Every year, we throw a grand celebration for him. However, it is normally within the kingdom. This year, we invited kingdoms near and far to celebrate with us his birthday and his coming-of-age.”

The guests clapped. To reach the age of eighteen is important to anyone, whether a common folk or of royal blood. For someone in a royal family, it meant being allowed to have official duties to the kingdom and being more involved in decisions, situations and such. For normal people, it meant being allowed to have a job. For anyone, it meant being eligible for marriage.

“Now, let us not make this any longer. Let us all welcome, Prince Renjun.”

Another spotlight appeared and highlighted the star of the night. Renjun was standing at the top of the stairs. The royal blue coat adorned with golden details stood out as his dress shirt underneath was simply white. His pants perfectly shaped his legs. On his head was a silver crown with a sapphire in the middle.

After standing in the spotlight for a few seconds, he bowed then made his way down slowly, the light following him. When he reached the ground, a mic was handed over to him and he took it with both of his hands. He scanned the room, a little nervous. He placed the mic near his mouth yet still spoke no word.

“Good evening.”

He started, almost stuttering but managed to keep himself calm.

“Thank you for coming here tonight. I hope everyone had a safe trip.”

The room was filled with replies of gratitude and affirmation. Renjun smiled as he heard positive feedback.

“I am not one for fancy parties, nor do I often wear regalias such as the one I am wearing right now. However, to see everyone dressed up for a celebration for me, it makes me feel happy and appreciated.”

He chuckled to himself, thinking of what else to say.

“To reach this age is an amazing milestone for me, and although I think majority of the guests have already passed my age, I feel like this is a huge achievement for me. To reach this age means responsibility; it means to be ready. I don’t want to keep this long - I know we all dread long speeches -”

The crowd laughed.

“So I would just like to say one thing: I promise to be the prince worthy of your trust. Thank you, and have a good night.”

He earned an applause from the guests, and he bowed again. He was directed to his seat, and the King and the Queen gave their last few words then everyone was free to do as they please.

Time hasn’t passed by that much, yet Renjun found himself surrounded by eager and curious princesses who are still bachelorettes. He was a good candidate for marriage as he has a good record, the kingdom is fairly rich, and his family has an overall good reputation. Renjun was uninterested, yet remained polite and entertained their series of questions.

“May I have the prince’s attention for a while, ladies?”

Renjun looked at the person who had the girls squealing and caught a sight of his friend, Jeno. The girls moved away to give them space.

“You’re loved.”

“It’s only for tonight.”

“Only for tonight? You mean starting tonight.”

Renjun groaned.

“Do not remind me. You’re also going to have this in a few months.”

“Unlike you, I’ve been seeing someone.”

Renjun looked at Jeno with a baffled expression, a little betrayed with what his friend just revealed to him. He thought he had someone to relate with! However, he couldn’t find himself getting angry at the other prince when he had the softest smile on his face as he seemed to think of the person.

“So, who’s the lucky one?”

Renjun asked, now curious because he has never seen Jeno so smitten with anyone. If anything, it was always the other way around.

“Honestly speaking, I’m the lucky one.”

“God, that’s so cheesy.”

Jeno just laughed, his sweet, smitten smile not leaving his face. He bites his lower lip, a little shy to talk about the person he had in mind.

“I managed to… arrange a date with… Princess Ellea.”

At the mention of her name, Jeno covered his face, letting out a sound of embarrassment. Renjun laughed at how his friend is acting up. Jeno had always kept a calm and composed attitude in front of everyone, even to those who is close to his heart. He handled his conversations in a smooth manner, and always seemed to be the dependable prince. It was a rare sight for the collected prince to turn crimson for someone.

“Dude, you’re breaking down. You must be in love.”

Jeno patted his cheeks to calm himself down.

“I could be, and it’s time for you to be, too.”

Renjun only sighed.

“You make it sound so easy.”

“It is.”

“Yet I still haven’t found anyone to spend my forever with.”

Renjun looked away from Jeno, scanning the crowd to find someone who could pull his heartstrings into a melody. However, the long gowns and coats did not attract him and only brought him a dull view.

“You make love too complicated.”

“Is it not?”

“It is.”

Renjun groaned. Jeno is definitely not helping in his problem.

“However, there will be someone who will make it seem so easy that breathing would seem so complex.”

Jeno added, then let out a chuckle when he saw the princess he mentioned earlier. Renjun stood up from his seat to greet her with a bow, and she bowed back.

“Prince Renjun, happy birthday.”

“Thank you. I’m glad you could make it.”

Ellea smiled, then glanced at Jeno, who clearly looked away to not be caught from staring.

“I heard you’re being accompanied by Jeno these days.”

She blushed, but did not deny his words.

“He has kept me from seeing the world in monochrome. I’m thankful.”

“Oh, you will never have stop having fun with him around, especially once you’ve seen him blush-”

“I think that’s enough talking for tonight, Prince Renjun.”

Jeno interrupted, even coughing to stop Renjun from embarrassing himself from his love any longer. Ellea let out a soft chuckle, and patted Jeno’s cheek.

“I’ll find out about it soon anyway.”

Renjun laughed, nodding in agreement. Jeno just groaned but could not argue back.

“Well, please excuse us. I’m sure we are not the only guests you have to entertain.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you for your consideration, unlike Jeno who seemed to plan on talking to me for the rest of the night.”

She giggled.

“I noticed, so I had to whisk him away.”

She waved goodbye, and when they were not around anymore, Renjun was soon surrounded again by bachelorettes who wanted to get to know him more. It wasn’t so bad, he thought. Even if he doesn’t plan on marrying any of them, to make an acquaintance (or even friends) with the future leaders of the kingdoms isn’t so bad. Still, he slowly got tired and excused himself for some fresh air.

He went off to the garden, and walked around for a while to relax himself. It was tiring to answer the questions and keep up the conversations while maintaining his image. He was out of the zone that when he went back to reality, he found himself in the small garden near his room. He sighed to himself,  _ This is a little far from the ballroom. _

“Well, might as well enjoy this scenic route.”

“Scenic route, or lost route?”

“How can I get lost in my own… Wait what? Who was that?”

Renjun looked around, and now he’s cautious. He heard a laugh, and immediately recognized its owner. He dropped his guard down and rolled his eyes.

“Mr. Na, please don’t interrupt my thoughts like that.”

“And I keep on telling you, call me Jaemin. Mr. Na sounds weird coming from a guy in my age.”

Renjun only shook his head in reply, although Jaemin could not have seen it as there was a wall that separated them.

“Anyway, what brings the prince to the garden? Thinking how to woo the princess who caught your eye?”

“More like trying to rest from those who wants to catch my attention.”

Jaemin let out an amused laugh.

“It seems it’s not easy to charm our prince.”

Renjun didn’t reply, as he wasn’t quite sure what else to say. However, Jaemin got confused with the silence and decided to scale the wall to get to the other side.

“Hey, prince. Think they’ll kill me for trespassing?”

“Huh?”

Renjun looked up and saw Jaemin sitting on the wall, a grin on his face. For some reason, it seemed like Jaemin was brighter than the moon.

“Hey! Get down or you might fall.”

“If I do, will you catch me?”

“Seriously!”

Jaemin laughed and jumped down, perfectly landing on his feet and in front of Renjun. The prince glared at him for his recklessness, yet did not scold him any further. He started to walk again.

“So, this isn’t a crime right?”

“Not entirely. It will be if I call the guards.”

Renjun’s tone seemed threatening, and it caught Jaemin off guard. He got worried.

“Wait…”

Renjun looked back at him, then cracked a smile.

“I wouldn’t.”

Jaemin sighed in relief, then caught up with the prince to walk beside him. He glanced around as he has never been to the castle, even though it is open to the public. He wondered if Renjun finds the place breathtaking, but thought that he could be used to the sight that he never thought of it.

“It’s beautiful.”

Jaemin whispered as he stared at the lights decorating the garden, illuminating it like paradise. Renjun shrugged his shoulders, agreeing but not on the same level.

“I guess.”

“It must be nice to be used to a beauty like this.”

Jaemin smiled softly at the white flowers that radiated with the light. He crouched down to touch them, his fingers gently brushing against the petal as to not destroy it. Renjun watched him, and wondered if it’s the light that made Jaemin seem to glow.

Renjun was too lost in his thought that he didn’t notice that Jaemin had already stood up and is now in front of him.

“Are my looks that dazzling, my prince?”

Jaemin joked, and was supposed to take it back when Renjun answered a soft-

“Yes…”

Jaemin was taken aback with the honest answer and blushed. He thanked that it was dark and although there were lights, he was sure that his reddening cheeks were not obvious. When Renjun realized what he had just said, he coughed and looked away.

“Must you ask? Are you not satisfied with what the girls say?”

Jaemin wasn’t sure if he should answer back, but something about how Renjun looked charming in his princely raiment had him speak without thinking.

“I will only be satisfied if it’s from you.”

Renjun looked at Jaemin with wide eyes, surprised to hear such words from him. He knew Jaemin had a flirtatious side, but never saw or heard it first-hand. The way he said seemed so lonely, as if he wanted to stay by his side until he feels complete.

Jaemin grabbed hold both of Renjun’s hand and looked at him in the eye.

“My prince… May I confess something?”

Renjun wondered if he’s going to regret any of this, but nodded nonetheless.

“What is it that you must confess to me?”

“My feelings for you.”

Renjun searched in Jaemin’s eyes for any sign of deception, but he could not find any. He wondered if it was because it was dark, yet it could not be that when Jaemin’s eyes were clear and glowing.

“The reason why we always seem to talk everyday is that I always show up at the same time you go to your balcony to do your morning greetings. I loved listening to you talking, and thought you'd be an amazing king one day because you speak so well.”

Jaemin looked down and breathed heavily, as if he was preparing himself and his words.

“I just want to say that while you are still in search of your forever, will you allow me to try and give you just that?”

Silence, then Jaemin released Renjun’s hand from his gentle hold.

“I sound ridiculous, thinking I stand a chance when I am just a delivery boy and you are so much more.”

He laughed at himself and took a step back. He wiped his tears that started to fall and turned to leave.

“I’m sorry. I’ll leave-”

“Jaemin, please.”

Renjun wasn’t sure what else he wanted to say, but he needed to if he wanted Jaemin to stay.

“Don’t leave… me. Not like this.”

Renjun stepped close to Jaemin, and held his hand with his, squeezing it. Jaemin took a deep breath, then turned around to face the prince. Renjun held Jaemin’s hands just like how he did to him and slowly moved them to intertwine their fingers.

“I’m not sure if the King would be happy about this.”

“It was never wrong to love.”

Jaemin smiled then leaned down to rest his forehead on Renjun’s, savoring the moment.

“You don’t know how happy I am right now.”

“Believe me, I think I do.”

A few hours ago, Renjun did not think it was possible for him to fall in love. Now, he is appreciating every moment of the night that he had always adored.

They stayed in that position for a long time, silence except for the sound of the wind between them. Jaemin leaned away to look at Renjun, and his smile grew bigger.

“You have the most beautiful eyes.”

He reached for the prince’s cheek and carressed the skin near the side of his eyes, memorizing every detail of his face. He knew Renjun was beautiful, yet he never saw him so close that he never realized how breathtaking his looks are. He wondered if he could get used to this.

“Prince Renjun! Where are you?”

Jaemin closed his eyes then sighed, releasing Renjun’s fingers.

“I must go.”

“Jaemin, please-”

Jaemin scaled the wall. Before he jumped off, he looked back at Renjun.

“It seems that tonight is not an endless one. I’m sorry I could not give you the forever you deserve.”

He jumped off to the other side. Renjun wasn’t able to tell him what he wanted to say.

“I wish you would at least try once more…”

**Author's Note:**

> im sorry.
> 
> like i am.
> 
> ok maybe im not and yall know it esp if uve seen my angsty posts on twitter
> 
> im sorry renmin.
> 
>  
> 
> //fun fact nomin is my bigger ship (like, by .1% HAHA) but what can i say this fits renmin more  
> //i feel bad i didnt mention hyuck my 00 line is incomplete???  
> //im not changing ellea tho  
> //hng tagged as oneshot but  
> //ye ^^^^^


End file.
